february-2012

TRAVEL OMAN
ABOVE
An oasis near
Jebel Shams;
Young villagers in
the nearby
mountains
smile on her face, eyes shining in
the darkness. A few moments later and
her daughter’s creation is complete;
swirls of rich brown henna in fl oral
patterns against my pale skin.
From Noor’s house, the call to prayer
sounds clear, and the building is
suddenly empty. Families in their fi nest
Friday clothes, bright white robes and
traditional embroidered hats stark
against the colourful prints of the
women’s dresses, walk in small groups
to prayer. Further along the narrow
road, more men and boys are making
their way to mosque.
Another few hours’ drive through
the staggering mountain peaks, which
crash their way to the Indian Ocean,
an and signposts for Nizwa pop up along
the
twisting road. Al-Dakhiliyah,
aro around 160km from Muscat, is a
tra trading post where locals can come to
ba barter for livestock while visitors buy
ela elaborate Omani silver and antiques in
the
souks.
Nizwa was the capital during the 6th
an and 7th centuries, initially populated
be
because of its location between two
rivers. Today the wadis (riverbeds) are
dry, but an oasis remains year round.
Stretching 8km, it is a verdant sight for
the eyes aft er miles of barren brown
landscape, engulfi ng the town in green.
While the paved roads, shops, hotels
and cafes blasting out Arabic soap
operas are a far cry from the Nizwa of
old, the fort stands strong.
A major attraction for history buff s,
the imposing castle was built in the
1660s over an underground stream, and
the 30-metre tower boasts panoramic
views of the surrounding countryside.
Beautifully maintained and fl anked
by cannons, the interior is a maze of
corridors, secret passages, false doors
and turrets that were designed to work
in the favour of only its most dedicated
inhabitants and deceive anyone bold
enough to invade.
Even if they had successfully
navigated their way into the fortress,
booby-trapped doors loaded with
boiling oil and date syrup waited to
bring marauding adversaries crashing
to their knees.
“It is safe today, I promise,” grins the
ticket salesman, who looks old